Visitors to the village created on an historic farm on Route 15/501 between Chapel Hill and Pittsboro, know Fearrington for its fine restaurants, lovely gardens and stylish shops. Many couples from all around have celebrated their marriages on the groomed grounds and in the rustic barn. For folks who call it home, Fearrington is valued for its deep sense of community and many creative outlets. Recently, one of those creative groups, visual artists, formed a loose organization... more...

Fifth Season Gardening Company announced the first Homebrew for Hunger festival on November 12th from noon to 5 p.m. at the new West End Public event space at 462 West Franklin Street in downtown Chapel Hill. This event will allow the public to learn about and taste beer from over 30 local homebrewers and craft breweries such as Carolina Brewery, Fullsteam Brewery, Bull City Burger & Brewery and Mystery Brewing Company. Tickets for Homebrew for Hunger are available for $20 and all proceeds will benefit the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina, which has been feeding children and adults at risk of hunger for 30 years.

"Homebrew for Hunger is really a celebration of local beer," says event co-organizer J. Beckham from Fifth Season Gardening. "We are lucky to have incredible breweries in our area and a thriving scene of individuals producing amazing beer in small batches in their homes. Our goal for the festival is to bring beer makers and beer lovers together while raising money for a deserving charity in the Food Bank."

Festivities will begin at noon with "Homebrew U," a series of home brewing sessions for novice and experienced brewers alike. In addition to demonstrations on home brewing basics and tips about kegging, there will be a panel discussion featuring craft brewers including Erik Lars Myers of Mystery Brewing, Sean Lilly Wilson and Chris Davis of Fullsteam Brewery, and Luke Studer of Bull City Burger & Brewery. Tastings will be held from 1 – 5 p.m. and attendees are invited to sample a variety of artisan beers from participating home brewers and craft breweries. Homebrew for Hunger will also be raffling off prizes from homebrew manufacturers and local businesses to raise more money for charity. Raffle tickets are available for $1 or festival-goers can donate one canned food item to receive a free ticket (limit 3 cans).

"Our festival attempts to put home brewers center stage and we’ve had a tremendous response from the local brewing community," says event co-organizer Ethan Johnston of Fifth Season Gardening. "Where else can you sample so many different kinds of great local beer while raising money for a such a deserving charity?"

Proceeds from Homebrew for Hunger will feed hungry children in central and eastern North Carolina. The Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina serves 150,000 pounds of food every day to more than 500,000 individuals. North Carolina is among five states with statistically significant higher rates of household food insecurity than the U.S. national average.

Tickets for Homebrew For Hunger are $20 and available at www.homebrewforhunger.com or at Fifth Season Gardening’s Carrboro or Raleigh locations. Attendees must be 21 or older.